With 2011 shaping up to be the year of low-carbon motoring, many petrol heads out there might be concerned that speed, style and luxury are being sacrificed for greener qualities by leading manufacturers. This, however, is not the case and the world’s top motoring firms are proving that eco-friendly cars needn’t be tiny electric trundlers.
Two of the big hitters of the industry, BMW and Mercedes Benz, have tied their colours to the green motoring mast with the launch of hybrid vehicles that deliver all the lavish features their loyal customers expect of them in a refreshingly low-impact vehicle.
Here’s how they measure up:
Mercedes E300 BlueTEC HYBRID
Mercedes chose the Geneva Motor Show 2011 as a platform upon which to launch the company’s first ever hybrid diesel motor, the E300 BlueTEC. While the car possesses all the powerful, stylish, dynamic looks that Benz fans have come to love over the years, it also packs some wonderfully green features.
The E300 BlueTEC comes with a 2.2-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine that is capable of 204hp, as well as a 15kW electric motor that aids acceleration and recuperates braking energy. Together, the diesel engine and electric motor deliver 224hp and a torque of more than 280Nm, while consuming just 4.1 litres of fuel per 100km (109g/km CO2 emissions).
In purely electric mode, the E300 BlueTEC can reach 35 km/h and cover shorter journeys, meaning that drivers can move through city traffic without having to engage the diesel engine or consume any fuel. The diesel engine also switches itself off when the vehicle coasts down from 80 km/h, with the electric motor keeping the car in ‘sailing’ mode by maintain a constant road speed.
The combination of the electric motor and diesel engine make the E300 BlueTEC wonderfully agile in acceleration and fabulously fuel efficient. The finishing touches on the vehicle ensure that it competes with the likes of the Mercedes A-Class and S-Class, with ample space and storage in the car and the peerless comfort of a Mercedes Benz.
Expected to be released to the general public later this year, car insurance groups for the E300 BlueTEC have yet to be announced – for best priced car insurance groups click here
(more…)

Besides BMW X6 ActiveHybrid, Bavarian company presented its other hybrid models – ActiveHybrid 7, which also will debut the show in Frankfurt after a month and will appear in the market at the end of the year. Hybrid luxury sedan system consists of a petrol 4.4-liter V8 engine, electric motor, the unit located between the internal combustion and transformation of the automatic transmission, and Li-ion battery. BMW ActiveHybrid 7 has a total capacity of 455k.s. and maximum torque 700Nm. as a result of the combination between the two engines is acceleration from 0-100 kilometers / hr only 4.9ec., fuel 9.4l./100km. and 219gr/km. emitted CO2 emissions. The car has a Start / Stop system, terminating the operation of petrol in the aggregate idling. Hybrid BMW 7-Series has received a unique 19-inch wheels and only if it offers color body Bluewater, a model will be available in long and short version.
(more…)